Why hello Georgia, this is Cristen!

We arrived in Tbilisi, Georgia on Saturday evening, August 14^th. Most everyone was super delirious from lack of sleep and 20+hours of plane travel. I was sooooo grouchy and painfully tired. When we got to the airport we were met by the Teach and Learn with Georgia staff, but unfortunately most of our luggage was not there to greet us... somehow I knew that was going to happen. I don't think Georgian Airways typically sees that much activity (or luggage). Most if our bags arrived about 4 days later while we were in training in Kutaisi.

[Me and Marissa at the Tbilisi Airport]

We spent one night in Tbilisi and then were summoned by the president himself (we’re kind of a big deal ;) to come down to Batumi on the coast of the Black Sea to meet with him. Batumi is an up and coming tourist town that is where lots of Georgians spend their summer vacations lounging on the pebble beach seaside. We drove about 6 hours in a sauna of a bus (no windows and very little a/c...absolutely miserable) to make it just in time to hear him speak. He met us in a Vegas style beach nightclub type place that was floor to ceiling in white decor and open to the seaside. Not the typical presidential meet and greet, but hey, this is Georgia!

After the quick mostly improvisational speech and some dinner, we drove up to Kutaisi where we would spend the next week in training.

[<--- Our police escort...no big deal]

[The Pres--->]